Drive Forward News: February 2026

At a Glance: VEX Robotics Spring 2026

2026 VEX Robotics World Championship

  • Dates: April 21–30, 2026
  • Location: America’s Center Convention Complex, St. Louis, Missouri
  • Watch: Live on VEX Robotics TV.

2026 VEX Robotics Educators Conference

  • Dates: April 27–29, 2026
  • Location: America’s Center, St. Louis, Missouri
  • Highlights: Curriculum sessions and hands-on workshops.

VEXcare Extended Warranty

  • Description: Extended protection for VEX hardware.
  • Plans: 1-year and 2-year options available.

VEX PD+ Insights

  • Cost: Free (No subscription required).
  • Authors: Audra Selkowitz and Aimee DeFoe.

National Robotics Week

  • Dates: April 4–12, 2026
  • Action: Tell us how you’re celebrating here.

Springing Into St. Louis: Worlds, Workshops, and VEXcare

A group of students cheer at the VEX Robotics World Championship.

The start of springtime at VEX Robotics HQ means one thing: the VEX Robotics World Championship is quickly approaching. Whether this is your first time joining our community or you’ve been with us for years, you know that this is the pinnacle of the season.

We’ve packed up the competition and are heading to St. Louis this year from April 21–30 at the America’s Center Convention Complex. To those who qualified and will be joining us in person: Amazing! We can’t wait to see your hard work in action. And for those joining us online via VEX Robotics TV, we’re looking forward to sharing the energy and commitment of this global community with you.


Learning Never Stops: The Educators Conference

While the high-stakes competitions are underway, the learning continues just down the hall. Our Education Team is hosting the VEX Robotics Educators Conference from April 27–29 at America’s Center in St. Louis, MO.

If you’re looking for deep dives into curriculum, hands-on workshops that you can take back to your classroom immediately, or insights from speakers who live and breathe robotics, this is the place to be. It’s a unique opportunity to connect with peers, whether you’re just getting started or are already deeply immersed in our world of robotics.


No internet? Slow internet? No problem. Coming Soon: VEXnet Server.

Protecting Your Investment with VEXcare

As teams gear up for the off-season or look toward next year, we want to help you protect your VEX electronic gear. We are excited to introduce VEXcare, the official product protection plan for eligible VEX products.

VEXcare provides coverage for unexpected covered breakdowns that occur after your manufacturer’s limited warranty ends. With both one- and two-year plans available, you can focus on building and competing with peace of mind. Not available outside of the 50 United States.

Learn more about VEXcare extended warranties


New Insights from VEX PD+

A birds' eye view photo of group of students working together on building a VEX GO robot.

Looking for inspiration you can use in your classroom right now? Our Senior Education Developers, Audra Selkowitz and Aimee DeFoe, have released three stellar new Insights articles. Both Audra and Aimee will be hosting sessions at the Educators Conference, so these articles are a great “sneak peek” at the expertise they bring to the table:

Note: Insights articles are free to access and do not require a VEX PD+ subscription!


A banner that reads, "VEX AIM Classroom Bundle is now available! Order here." Renders of the VEX AIM Coding Robot are featured.

Get Ready for National Robotics Week

Finally, National Robotics Week is approaching fast (April 4–12). We want to hear from you: How does your classroom or team participate?

Even if you haven’t celebrated in the past, what would you like to try this year? We’ll be sharing some of your best ideas and responses at the end of March in the next edition of Drive Forward News and on our social channels.

Thank you for being such a vital part of the VEX Robotics community. We’ll see you in St. Louis!

Take a look back at last month’s articles: